For many years, NASA continues to advance its work with great effort to explore the depths of space and find a second home for humanity. Of course, it doesn’t stop with new discoveries, and scientists continue to look for new ways to make more discoveries while reducing costs.
In this article, we wanted to talk about some of the space technologies that NASA has started, partnered with or invested in. Although the technologies you see in the list seem like they came out of science fiction movies, it is quite possible that we will see them in the real world soon.
Turning asteroids into spacecraft: RAMA
It may sound utopian at first glance, but NASA is working on a project called RAMA to minimize the costs of spacecraft. The aim of the RAMA project is to produce more robotic equipment, especially spacecraft, with parts obtained from space.
In its own published article, NASA states that with the RAMA project, they can turn 10-meter-long and 100-meter-wide asteroids into spacecraft that can move in lunar orbit. Of course, it remains unclear when such a technology will become available.
Shapeshifting robots: Shapeshifter
Thanks to companies like Boston Dynamics, we are now familiar with robots that can move like humans and complete parkour. However, the biggest common feature of these robots is that they are mostly designed in the form of humans or dogs, and therefore they cannot go out of these shapes much.
NASA is preparing to break this rule with a new robot called Shapeshifter. Described as a “flying amphibious robot”, Shapeshifter can transform into tools such as robotic cannons and short torpedoes at any time.
Oxygen generator that could make Mars’ air suitable for humans
As you know, our dreams of establishing colonies on Mars in the future are being made possible by many people, especially Elon Musk. But before we get to work, we will first need to make the air of Mars breathable.
For this, Ivan Ermanoski, a professor at Arizona State University, has an idea: a portable oxygen generator.
This generator, which uses a technique called thermal oscillation adsorption to produce oxygen from the atmosphere of Mars, requires 6 times less energy than the methods tested for the same purpose, according to Ermanoski’s data.
Football field-sized shadow that blocks the glare of the stars
One of the biggest problems when observing space is that the brightness of the stars interferes with the telescope. For this reason, scientists want to somehow block the star that obscures the telescope’s view while studying an event or another star in space.
One of the biggest projects that NASA has been working on for a long time is to create a “shadow” the size of a football field, which will prevent the brightness of the stars. This shadow, which will have a width of 100 meters, will be able to cast a shadow on a specific desired star without interfering with the light of other planets when the project is completed.
Paper-thin space junk collector: Brane Craft
In fact, NASA has been working on the Brane Craft since 2014, an instrument that can collect space debris. The purpose of Brane Craft is not to collect the items in the vacuum of space, but to wrap them like a gift package and send them into orbit and burn them.
What do you think about these technologies that NASA is working on? Do you think we can see these technologies in the near future? Do not forget to share your views with us in the comments section or on the SDN Forum.